2_1_DiscoverBenelux_9_Sept_2014:Scan Magazine 1
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Discover Benelux | Hotel of the Month | Luxembourg
by Japanese golf-architect Iwao Uematsu, is 18 hectares of fabulously green and beautifully manicured land around which another 100 hectares of our woods, forests and parkland stretch,” enthuses Luc. With a driving range and putting greens to get the game ready for the bigger challenge it does seem possible some of those driven banking executives may allow their thoughts to wander momentarily, every now and then at least, to a different sort of drive. And with nearly 90 bunkers awaiting the careless, along with some trickilyplaced water hazards, that drive had best be well executed, or as Luc adds: “For sure you’ll get the kick in Kikuoka.”
Putts, relaxing atmosphere and Luxembourg’s wine country The 18th is said to be a particular favourite with visiting golfers as a fun part of the green, and naturally the 19th hole – the bar – can follow immediately afterwards if desired. Relaxing here or enjoying the panorama from the extensive terrace, your putts are sure to magically lengthen, and bad shots will surely decrease in number as the hospitality begins to flow. Given that the Kikuoka is situated at the edge of Luxembourg’s Mosel wine country, an important element of that hospitality is having the fruity white wines available in the hotel restaurant and bar. Chilled and ready to refresh, these wines are made from grapes grown just a few kilometres further east. For enthusiasts, the hotel can assist with arrangements to take visitors to the wine rather than the other way around. “We are situated right by Remich, and no great distance from what is regarded as the unofficial capital of Luxembourg’s wine industry, Grevenmacher, so it’s easy for trips
The hotel is situated in calm and peaceful surroundings, far from urban bustle. OPPOSITE PAGE: Kikuoka’s championship-standard 18-hole golf course that has played host to numerous professional events.
to be organised to the caves of some of the top Luxembourg wine makers for dégustations, and to see some fine winemaking country,” says Luc.
Centre for multi-national corporations This, perhaps, is one of the draws for the financiers and industrialists who attend conferences at the hotel. “Luxembourg is well known as a centre for multi-national corporations, many of which host conferences here on a regular basis,” says Luc. “We handle everything from big gatherings in our main conference room, which holds up to 250 people, to smaller or multi-room events for which this room can be split into three sous-salles, with two additional rooms also available depending on needs.”
As regards geography it’s not just the hotel’s proximity to the beautiful wine country that makes it an excellent location for business and leisure travellers, given that the country’s main airport is just 15 kilometres distant. But Kikuoka is a world away from such noisy environments, with the soughing of the wind in its trees or the rustle of swaying corn on a neighbouring farm the likely background sounds (and on occasion the sound of a golfer quietly cursing a duffed chip!). The more intrusive clamour of the modern world will not permeate the living sound insulation with which the hotel is surrounded: “We are almost hermetically enclosed within what is the biggest green garden in Luxembourg,” Luc concludes. www.accorhotels.com
ABOVE LEFT AND MIDDLE: Enjoy the hotel’s top-of-the-range wellness center with pools and the chance to book beauty therapy sessions and massages. RIGHT: Vast conference and meeting spaces can accommodate you and your business in the heart of hospitality.
Issue 9 | September 2014 | 61